[L-R: Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Yusuf Hamied, Yusuf Ali and Azim Premji]
By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Four Muslims have made to the Forbes’ list of < a href=”http://www.forbes.com/india-billionaires/#4d3a309d1c00”> 100 Indian Billionaires for 2016. Three are the old faces who appear every year in the Forbes’ list while the fourth is a young NRI doctor with South Indian origin making debut to the prestigious listing.
Thirty nine years old Shamsheer Vayalil, an entrepreneur and philanthropist has first time appeared on the list and with this he is the third youngest named in the 100 richest Indians published by Forbes for 2016.
Among other Muslims to appear in the list are Azim Premji, M.A. Yusuff Ali and Yusuf Hamied.
Vayalil is the Founder and Managing Director of VPS Healthcare, a network of hospitals, clinics, pharmaceutical manufacturing units and pharmacies in the UAE and India. He is ranked 98th in the list a wealth of $ 1.27 billion.
In 2014the Government of India awarded Vayalil with a Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award for his overall contribution to the healthcare sector.
Premji, 71, a chairman of Wipro Limited continues to remain in the first 10 Indian Billionaire; however he slipped by a position to fourth this year with a net worth of $15 billion. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian honour in 2011 and Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian honour in 2005.
M.A. Yusuff Ali, 60, an MD of EMKE Group alias LuLu Group International, UAE ranked at 25th position with a wealth of $4.2 billion. Last year he was at 24th position. Ali is known for his close involvement in many social, charitable and humanitarian activities both in India as well as in the Gulf countries. He has also undertaken various philanthropic activities across the globe.
He was awarded with Padma Shri by President of India in 2008 and Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2005.
Eighty years old Yusuf Hamied, a non-executive chairman of Cipla, one of India’s top pharma outfits is named at 60th place with net worth of $1.54 billion. In 2015 he was ranked 28th. In February 2013, Hamied announced his retirement plans from Cipla after remaining managing director of the company for 52 years. He was awarded with the Padma Bhushan in 2005.